Via forms wireless chip subsidiary

FREMONT, Calif. - Via Technologies Inc. has set up a new U.S. subsidiary to develop chip sets for wireless handsets and other mobile products.

The Via Telecom subsidiary has been established in San Diego to develop chip sets for handsets based on code-division multiple access (CDMA) and other wireless protocols, according to a spokeswoman for Via's U.S. operations in Fremont, Calif. Via, a supplier of PC chip sets and other products, is based in Taipei, Taiwan.

Via Telecom is made up of LSI Logic Corp.'s former CDMA design group, which was also based in San Diego. In May, Via entered the cellular-phone chip set market when it acquired the CDMA product operations of LSI Logic (see May 26 story ).

At the time, LSI Logic was developing CDMA chips for 2G/2.5G handsets. Via is reportedly developing its own chip sets, but it acquired the operation in order to accelerate its own designs.

The move is part of Via's "Total Connectivity" vision, which refers to the company's plan to become a one-stop shop of chip products. The company not only sells PC chip sets, but also develops ICs for CD ROM, communications, and optical applications.